The Primate of the Orthodox Church in America makes a Private Pilgrimage to St. John of San Francisco the Wonderworker

On October 19, 2018, The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada made a private pilgrimage to our Diocesan Cathedral dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco to venerate the honorable relics of Holy Father John Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker. Metropolitan Tikhon was accompanied by The Most Reverend Benjamin Archbishop of San Francisco and the West, his auxiliary The Right Reverend Daniel Bishop of Santa Rosa and His Eminence Abel Archbishop of Lyublinsk and Kholm (Polish Autocephalous Church).

His Beatitude was greeted by Bishop Irenei of Richmond and Western Europe, and the clergy and pupils of Saint John of San Francisco Orthodox Academy. The children welcomed the honored guest with flowers and warm smiling faces. After all the bishops venerated the Holy Table a molebin was performed by Archpriest Philip Hollywell, Priest Sergei Kiryukhin, and Archdeacon Peter (Karakozoff). The responses were solemnly chanted the all the pupils of St. John’s Academy.

At the end of the molebin, His Grace Bishop Irenei, in welcoming the distinguished pilgrims, spoke of St. John of San Francisco’s significance; of his ability to inspire hierarchs and the faithful to serve God with their lives. His Grace wished that everyone present would receive strength through St. John to persevere in his respective calling and to “finish the course” set before him (see II Timothy 4:7) by our Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.

Metropolitan Tikhon's Pilgrimage to St. John the Wonderworker - 10/19/18